High chair with safety restraining post



March 10, 1953 E. M. MADSEN 2,630,856

HIGH "CHAIR WITH SAFETY RESTRAINING POST Filed April 5, 1951 Ethel M.Madsen INVENTOR.

BY zs Patented Mar. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HIGH CHAIR WITHSAFETY RESTRAINING POST 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inhigh chair constructions and has reference in particular to a safetyrestraining post which is mounted on the central region of the forwardedge portion of the seat in a manner to underlie the customary tray and,in which position, it functions as a guard and prevents the occupantfrom leaving the chair by way of the space existing between the tray andseat.

As the preceding statement implies, perpendicular restraining posts havebeen used by others. As a matter of fact, the art to which the inventionrelates shows that many and varied styles and forms of safeguardingposts have been offered for adoption and use.

Considering the fact that these prior art restraining posts have notcome into widespread use is indicative, if not persuasive, that theyhave failed to measure up to all of the requirements of the trade.Therefore, it is an object of the instant invention to structurally,functionally and otherwise improve upon prior art high chair restrainingposts and, in so doing, to provide an improved high chair in whichmanufacturers, retailers and users will find their respectiverequirements and needs fully met, contained and efiectually available.

Briefly summarized, the preferred embodiment of the invention has to dowith the combination of a leg-supported backrest equipped seat, saidseat having armrests and said armrests being provided with a detachablyand slidably mounted tray. The improvement has to do with a simple andpractical post, said post being adjustably mounted on the centralforward edge portion of the seat. The post underlies the tray and thetray and post are individually and collectively adjustable in respect tothe seat and armrests.

Novelty is also predicated upon a high chair seat with an adjustablymounted restraining post thereon whether or not in combination with thearmrests and adjustable tray carried by the armrests.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying sheet of illustrativedrawings.

In the accompanying sheet or" drawings, wherein like numerals areemployed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a high chairconstructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail section, with parts inelevation, of the essential post and its features, the section being onthe line 2-2 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the structural adaptations seen in Figure2; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the specially constructed base formingcollar carried by the lower end of the post.

Referring now to the drawings and to the over-all combination shown inFigure l, the high chair seat is denoted by the numeral 6 and this isprovided with customary supporting legs 8. There is also the usualbackrest l0 and horizontal armrests 12 mounted on uprights M interposedbetween the seat and armrests. The customary adjustable and detachablefood tray is denoted by the numeral Hi. This is shown provided withcleats I8 adjustably keyed in the keyways 20 provided therefor in thearmrests l2. Insofar as the invention is concerned it is only necessarythat the tray be adjustable on the armrests in a plane which is parallelwith the seat.

In accordance with the present invention the restraining post 2| is ofwood or other equivalent material and is some five or six inches inheight. It has a central bore extending therethrough to accommodate anassembling and retaining bolt 22. The lower end of the bolt isscrew-threaded at 24 and extends through and beyond the tapered lowerend portion 26 of the post where a wing-nut 28 is provided. The upperend of the bolt 22 has a convex head 30 and a complemental polygonalportion 32 which is seated in a correspondingly shaped counterbore orrecess 34 in the post 2| provided therefor. The head portion is in thecircular larger counterbore 36. An adapter collar, also functioning as abase, is provided and this is denoted by the numeral 33. It is ofelongated approximately semiellipsoidal configuration. It is alsoprovided with a flat bottom surface which has firm sliding contact withthe corresponding flat surface of the seat 6. The seat, in turn, isprovided with an elongated slot 42 which constitutes a keyway and servesto accommodate a small dowel pin 44 which is fitted into a socket in theadapter collar or base. The dowel constitutes a key and the slot akeyway and, therefore, the key rides back and forth in the keyway. Also,the lower screwthreaded nut-equipped end of the bolt operates in thiskeyway. On the other hand, the base block or collar completely coversand closes the slot to prevent pinching or other injuries. Not only isthe slot completely shielded over by the block but the upper andmarginal surfaces of the block are suitably convex or otherwise nicelyshaped to present a smooth contour and to minimize likelihood of injuryfrom this source.

It is to be noticed that the post is such that it has its upper endterminating in spaced relation beneath the central overlying portion ofthe slidable tray. The tray is adjustable and the post is adjustable andboth are adjustable in relation to the seat and backrest, making itpossible to arrange these cooperating parts to accommodatedifferent-sized infants.

It will be obvious that with the post properly applied and adjusted on ahigh chair it will occupy a position somewhat in alignment with thecrotch of the infant-occupant. Therefore, the infant will find it quiteimpossible to slip himself through the space existing between the seatand overlying tray. Nor Will it be possible for him to turn over, so tospeak, and crawl out inasmuch as the post will prevent him from crossinghis legs and assuming this climb-out position.

If desired, the high chair may be provided with any suitable adjustablefootrest means iorm ing, of course, no part of the invention.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the inventionrelates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the inventionafter considering the description in connection with the drawings.Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in the shape, size, materials and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to in actual practice Without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention, as claimed.

Having described the invention, What is claimed as new is:

1. In combination, a high chair embodying a seat having an upstandingrigidly mounted backrest and an elongated slot, a restraining post, abolt and nut carried by said post, the nutequipped end of said boltbeing detachably and adjustably connected with said seat through themedium of said slot, and collar means attached to the lower end portionof said post and resting slidably against said seat and normallycovering said slot, said restraining post being adjus able by way ofsaid bolt and slot toward and from said backrest.

2. In combination with a high chair embodying a seat having anupstanding rigidly mounted backrest, said seat having an elongated slotdisposed inwardly of the marginal edges of the seat adjacent the forwardedge and at right angles to the backrest, a restraining post, an

elongated collar attached to the lower end portion of said post andresting slidably against said seat and normally completay covering saidslot, said collar being of dimensions greater than the dimensions ofsaid slot, said post having a central vertical bore opening through itsends, a headed bolt mounted in said bore, the free end of the boltpassing through said slot and having a nut threadcdly mounted thereonwith the nut normally in clamping engagement with the bottom surface ofsaid seat, and a dowel pin eccentrio of said bolt carried by said collarand depending below said collar into said slot so as to prevent sidewisemovement of said collar, said post being adjustable by way of said boltand nut toward or from said backrest.

3. The structure specified in claim 2, wherein said post is provided onits upper end with a counterbore in alignment with said bore, said borehaving a polygonal recess in alignment with said counterbore, the headedportion of said bolt being disposed with the confines of saidcounterbore and said recess.

4. For use with a flat surfaced seat having an upstanding rigidlymounted backrest and an elongated slot at right angles to the backrest,an attachment comprising an elongated collar constituting an adapterbase, said collar having a flat bottom adapted to rest against theadjacent flat surface on the seat, said collar being provided at one endwith a hole, a post having a tapered end portion fitted in said hole, abolt extending centrally through said post and through and beyond saidcollar, said bolt being provided on its free end with an assembling andclamping nut, and a dowel pin eccentric to said bolt carried by saidbase and depending below said fiat bottom to prevent sidewise movementof the collar relative to the slot.

ETHEL M. lVIADSEN.

EEFERENfiES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 310,180 Brundage Jan. 6, 1885930,074 Jaspersen Aug. 3, 1909 1,182, '10 Fountain May 9, 1916 1,561,264Mayer Nov. 10, 1%25 1,902,367 Johnson Mar. 21, 1933 2,442,239 Edens Aug.1?, 1948 2,455,168 Gilmore Nov. 30, 19% 2,535,212 Johnson Dec. 26, 195 0

